Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: We are writing to discuss the potential role psychological techniques may have in managing the gag reflex in dental settings.The gag reflex is an involuntary response that protects the pharynx and throat from foreign objects. 1 It likely developed as an evolutionary preventative measure to prevent choking.Although all humans can exhibit a gag response, the level and type of stimulation necessary to trigger it varies within the population. 2 A sensitive gag reflex can hinder dental treatment, leading patients to avoid dental care due to discomfort and fear.3 Therefore, finding effective ways to manage this reflex in dental settings is important.Psychological factors play a significant role in the sensitive gag responses often observed during dental care.4,5 Trigger areas are often unique to patients and may be linked to past negative experiences in dental settings.6 Additionally, sensory stimuli such as sound, smell, sight, or even the thought of dental treatment can provoke a gag response in some people.7 Associative learning appears to be a key psychological process involved, as patients often learn to link specific stimuli as triggers for gagging, which can lead to avoidance behaviors.8 Strong beliefs about gagging, including fears of choking and embarrassment, further contribute to the avoidance of dental care.9 Psychological therapies aim to help people break unhelpful associations and develop coping skills to manage heightened distress.10 This suggests that targeted psychological techniques may be helpful in the reduction of the severity of the gag reflex during dental treatments.Despite various proposed approaches for managing the gag reflex during dental care, there is limited evidence and clinical guidance to support dentists in effectively managing this reflex.11,12 Reviews have yet to examine the outcomes of psychological approaches, such as systemic desensitization, to managing gagging despite their common recommendation as a treatment strategy.Therefore, we conducted a scoping review to assess the effects of psychological interventions on managing gagging in patients
Source: Special Care in Dentistry
DOI: 10.1111/scd.13090
Language: English
Subfield: Oral Surgery
Field: Dentistry
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,240
OpenAlex ID: W4406244161